


Contact

by 00AwkwardPenguin00



Series: Dragon of the Yuyan [26]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Episode: s02e14 City of Walls and Secrets, Gen, Iroh adopts the Gaang, Iroh meets the Gaang, honestly this one's pretty chill, not much going on past Zuko and Iroh catching up and Zuko dragging Iroh home to meet his friends, or rather elements thereof
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:49:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27176809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/00AwkwardPenguin00/pseuds/00AwkwardPenguin00
Summary: They've been in this dump for a week, and still no sign of Appa. Then Zuko stumbles upon a very familiar tea maker.
Relationships: Aang & Toph Beifong & Iroh & Katara & Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & OCs, Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko
Series: Dragon of the Yuyan [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582384
Comments: 311
Kudos: 2488
Collections: Finished111





	Contact

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/gifts).



> :D

They've been here a week, and Zuko is slowly going _crazy_.

The creepy Joo Dee lady only leaves them alone when they're in the guest house they've been given. During the day, they can hardly go anywhere without her, but usually one or two of them can sneak away while the others distract her. She stays stubbornly close to Aang, and Zuko is torn between wanting to stay with his student and keep him safe from whatever the creepy lady wants, or taking advantage of the situation to find Appa as fast as he possibly can. It takes Sokka pretty much promising never to let Aang out of his sight while Joo Dee is present (and Aang promising to never leave Sokka's side while in the hostess's presence as well), for Zuko to finally be somewhat comfortable taking advantage of the opportunities for escape and investigation that his squad gives him. Sometimes Toph or Katara accompany him, when their patience with the situation really runs out, and Zuko takes the opportunity to teach Katara roof-running, and to really test the range and sensitivity of Toph's earth-sense.

He's managed to get out every night, but the size of the city and his unfamiliarity with it make it difficult to make any progress on his search for Appa. And trying to catch dissent that he can use as bait for the Dai Li has been nearly impossible––the creepy hat guys have the inhabitants of the city infuriatingly well trained, and hardly a whisper of the war can be heard within the more affluent areas of the Lower Ring, much less the Middle and Upper ones.

So tonight he’s going to the part of the Lower Ring where the most recently arrived refugees have been corralled.

He leaves almost at the same time Joo Dee does, using the long shadows cast by the setting sun to avoid the detection of the Dai Li agents keeping watch on the house. If they weren’t so _fucking creepy_ , Zuko would love a peek at their surveillance playbook. He’s always down to learn new ways to be nosy.

By now he has multiple routes to the Lower Ring memorized, and in less than two hours he’s strolling along the rooftops of one of the “worst” neighborhoods in the city. Personally, he doesn’t see what the big deal is. Yeah, it’s certainly not as neat and pretty as some of the older and more affluent areas of the Lower Ring, and the city guard and Dai Li presence is _waaay_ out of proportion to the level of actual crime he witnesses on his amble, but the place is bright and active and ringing with the noise of city life. In all honesty, despite how densely populated and dingy (and _smelly_ , dear Agni _above_ ) the place is, it’s probably Zuko’s favorite area of the city.

Which really isn’t saying much, considering how much he _fucking hates this spirits-cursed place_. But. If he had a knife to his throat and had to choose.

He’s passing a neat little teashop when a familiar voice rings out furiously.

_“This man’s a firebender!”_

_What the flaming fuck?_ Zuko nearly falls off the roof as Jet of all people drags an old man out of the shop with his blades poised at the man’s thickly bearded throat and ample belly. The man looks incredibly familiar, pale skinned, short stocky body, thick gray beard. He’s dressed in faded green robes, patched and worn but as clean and neat as he can make them.

Zuko scrambles down to street level as Jet’s ravings get louder. Familiar or not, that old man was just minding his own business, and Zuko refuses to let Jet’s obsession put more innocents in danger. He plants himself directly behind Jet with dao drawn, hocks up an impressive wad of spit, and launches it at the back of the maniac’s head.

Jet freezes, and the old man takes the opportunity to scramble away as the taller boy spins around. Zuko can see the instant Jet recognizes him, because his face twists hatefully.

_“You again,”_ he sneers, bringing his stupid hooked swords up to a fighting stance. “What the fuck are _you_ doing here, you _traitor_?”

_Wouldn’t you like to know, you nutcase,_ Zuko thinks, raising his chin and his dao and looking down his nose at the other boy. He hears a gasp coming from the direction the old man went, but ignores it.

Jet throws himself at Zuko with all of the crazy aggression of a guy whose patience has finally snapped. He’s fast, and has a long reach made longer by his ridiculous fishhooks, but his frustration is making him stupid, and the fact that Zuko is silent to his insults and badgering is only making him more frustrated. Zuko stays calm and on the defensive, waiting for an opportunity to disarm or for the city guard or Dai Li to show up. With all the shouting Jet’s doing about “Fire Nation infiltrators”, Zuko’s pretty sure he’ll get snapped up by the creepy hat men sooner rather than later.

He loses one of his blades trapping one of Jet’s, jamming it deep in a crack in the street through the gap between the handle and the guard, and then the Dai Li finally show up and whisk Jet away. There’s too many people around who are looking at him to try and make a quick escape to follow the cart, and he wouldn’t leave his blade behind anyway (they were a _gift_ from his _family_ , damn it), and by the time the crowd clears away the cart’s long gone. He focuses on freeing his blade from the street, and when he finally pries it loose, he discovers that the edge has rolled a tiny bit.

_That’s going to be an absolute bitch to grind down,_ he pouts, picking at it with his thumbnail.

_“Zuko?”_

Zuko blinks, eyes snapping to the old man. His wide, shocked eyes glint polished bronze in the light of a nearby streetlamp, and suddenly he realizes why the old man is so familiar.

_Uncle._

Somehow, his Uncle Iroh, the only blood relative who actually gave a single damn about him after his mother disappeared, is standing before him in the middle of a street in the Lower Ring dressed like an Earth Kingdom citizen, his Fire Nation topknot and general’s armor exchanged for a queue and a tea-stained apron.

Zuko smiles awkwardly, sheathes his blade, and gives a little wave. Uncle tackles him in a hug that nearly crushes the air out of his lungs, and bursts into tears, soaking his shoulder. Zuko is helpless to do anything but wrap his own arms around Uncle’s shoulders and hold on tight.

For the first time since leaving Pohuai Stronghold, Zuko feels like he’s _home_.

“My boy, my boy, my dear, dear boy,” Uncle is sobbing, and _oh_ Zuko wishes he could speak with his voice without freaking the fuck out, he would be able to soothe his distraught uncle the way Iroh had always soothed him when he was upset, but instead all he can do is hold on tighter.

“Master Mushi?” A deep, deep voice rumbles. “Are you alright?”

“Mushi” must be the name Uncle’s using to live in the city that Prince-General Iroh tried to conquer. Zuko quickly traces the character for his own alias, Lee, on Uncle’s back as the old man turns to face the tall, solid-looking young man who had spoken. Uncle pats Zuko on the arm with one hand while wiping his face with a handkerchief from his sleeve with the other, and shoots him a tiny smirk from behind the cloth.

“Yes, Hyeon, I’m fine, thank you,” Uncle bumbles, tucking away the handkerchief. “It’s just that my brave savior is actually my nephew Lee, who I had thought died as a child. It’s a bit of a shock, but the most wonderful shock I’ve had in many years.” He turns to Zuko and explains, “Hyeon is the manager of my tea shop, and has been a very loyal employee since it opened.” He grins a little sheepishly. “He’s the one who makes sure I don’t poison myself testing new blends.”

The man, Hyeon, bows slightly to Zuko. “An honor to meet you, Lee,” he rumbles.

Zuko returns the bow, and pulls a small notebook and charcoal stick he’d bought on one of his previous forays into the city from where they had been tucked into his sash. He jots down a few sentences, then hands the notebook to Uncle and gestures for him to read it out loud.

Uncle goes pale when he scans the writing, but clears his throat and reads, _“The honor is mine, Hyeon. Thank you for watching out for my uncle when I wasn’t able to. Please excuse this method of communication—I was badly injured as a child in the event that my uncle thought caused my death, and I’m unable to use my voice._ Oh, nephew.”

Uncle looks like he’s about to start weeping again, and Zuko gently grips his shoulder and smiles at him.

“Boss, maybe you should head home early for the night,” Hyeon suggests in a way that’s not really a suggestion. “I can close up for you.”

“Very wise and generous of you, Hyeon,” Uncle declares, grinning broadly. “Thank you, my friend. I insist you take an extra ten copper pieces for today’s wages for your trouble. And give everyone else an extra five, will you?”

“Yes, boss,” Hyeon replies, bowing deeply with a small smile. “I’ll make sure to note in the ledger. Have a good night, Master Mushi.”

“You as well, Hyeon, and give my regards to your lovely wife.”

Uncle hands the notebook back, tucks a hand into the crook of Zuko’s elbow, and steers him down the street and through the neighborhood to a large, rundown apartment complex. Way too many stairs and a door with a seriously flimsy lock later, they’re in the tiny two-room apartment Uncle now calls home, and the old man is hugging the breath out of him again.

“Oh Zuko, my boy, my boy,” he murmurs. “Agni has blessed me, giving you back after what I let that monster do to you.”

Zuko breathes in Uncle’s comforting ginseng and woodsmoke scent, squeezes him briefly, then gently pulls away and takes his notebook back out.

_You can’t blame yourself, Uncle,_ he writes. _You didn’t let Ozai do anything, you were as trapped as I was. Ozai was looking for a way to get rid of me and I gave him one. The only way it could have gone any worse is if I had actually tried to fight._

Uncle reads and nods, smiling proudly. “You have grown wise, my nephew,” he says, voice soft. “I have so many questions for you, and I’m sure you have just as many for me. Will you stay and have some tea with me while we catch up?”

Any thoughts of trying to tail the Dai Li fly right out of Zuko’s head, and he writes, _of course, Uncle._

“Do you still prefer jasmine, Nephew?” Uncle asks, turning to his tiny kitchen. Zuko waits for him to finish setting up the kettle, then taps Uncle on the shoulder and nods when he turns back around.

“Oh, my apologies, Nephew,” Uncle murmurs, looking abashed. Zuko waves him off with an understanding smile. It had taken ages to train Aang out of that habit, but now that Uncle is aware of the problem, he won’t make that mistake again.

Before too long, they’re settled at Uncle’s rickety little table with steaming cups of jasmine tea, a huge pile of parchments between them and an ink-stone and brush in front of Zuko.

Uncle tells his tale while Zuko writes, and if some of his parchments get a little blotchy at times, it’s not like Uncle’s going to mind.

Ugh, he’ll have to _apologize_ to Pakku for getting annoyed at his meddling.

When Uncle’s done talking and Zuko’s done writing, Zuko hands over his parchments and takes a long, wonderful drink of his tea. _Agni_ , he’s missed Uncle’s tea. Zuko simply can’t make tea the way Uncle does.

Uncle blinks at something on the page in front of him, looking up at Zuko cat-owlishly. “Pohuai Stronghold, nephew? The Yuyan Archers? Are you perhaps fluent in their hand-language?”

Zuko nods, signing, _**It’s my preferred method of communication.**_

Uncle grins and signs clumsily, **_I am a bit rusty, but fluent. Go slow._**

Zuko grins, remembering his childhood obsession with the Yuyan Archers. It had stemmed mostly from Uncle’s descriptions of them in his letters home while he preparing for the Siege of Ba Sing Se at the Stronghold.

Uncle is quietly delighted to learn that Zuko's attained his Firebending Mastery ("Ryoichi of Fire Fountain City? He was a student of mine. I'm honored to hear that he's passing on my teachings"), and absolutely ecstatic that Zuko is the Avatar's Firebending teacher.

"You must bring him by the shop sometime soon, Nephew," Uncle says, refilling their teacups. "I would love to meet him."

_**I want everyone to meet you too,**_ Zuko replies with a grin. **_You and K-A-T-A-R-A would get along like a wildfire, and T-O-P-H is always complaining about my tea. And I know S-O-K-K-A loves Pai Sho nearly as much as you do, and none of the rest of us can play well enough to give him a challenge except A-A-N-G, but A-A-N-G doesn't have the patience for long games like you do._**

He and Uncle continue talking well into the night, until Zuko nearly falls asleep at the table and Uncle convinces him to take the extra futon. It's hard as a rock and smells kind of musty, but for once Zuko sleeps with only the barest traces of nightmares.

The next morning, he joins Uncle for sunrise meditation, but he can't stay for too much longer after that––he's gotta get back to his squad before they decide to tear the city apart looking for him.

Uncle decides to come with him, and they duck into The Jasmine Dragon to let Hyeon know that Uncle's taking the morning off. Then they head for the train station, and take the train to the Upper Ring.

The door to the house is thrown open wide as Zuko raises his fist to knock, and he winces as he's met with Katara's furious blue glare.

"Where in Tui's name have you been?!" She hisses, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside. "We thought you'd gotten caught by the Dai Li!" Then she catches sight of Uncle, and her eyes grow wide as her mouth snaps shut. Sokka and Aang both stare at the old man with dropped jaws from their seats at the breakfast table, while Toph has a scrunched up nose like she's trying to remember something from a long time ago.

**_Turns out I'm not the only secret firebender in the city,_** Zuko signs with a lopsided grin.

"Good morning, everyone, I am Zuko's uncle, Iroh of Caldera," Uncle says, smiling pleasantly and giving a small bow. Toph's face lights up, and she scrambles to her feet and throws herself at Uncle.

"Master Mushi! I thought I recognized your weird breathing!" She crows. Uncle's arms automatically go around the tiny earthbender, but his expression is one of delighted confusion.

"Miss Beifong? Dare I ask whether your parents know where you are?" He asks carefully. Toph scowls and pulls away.

"No fuckin' way!" She snarls. "Dad found out that I'm an Earthbending Master and that I was sneaking out to go to Earth Rumbles, and he freaked out and was going to make me a prisoner in my own home! They don't care about what I want or need, they just want me to be their obedient little dress-up doll!"

Uncle nods gravely. "I would have taken you with me, Master Toph, if I could have figured out a way to do it that wouldn't have involved your father having me hunted down and slain for my impudence. I beg your forgiveness for leaving you in their neglectful care."

Toph smiles tightly. "Don't worry about it, old man, it all worked out anyway," she says, stomping back to the table. "Someone gimme a bean curd bun, I'm starving."

Katara recovers herself fastest and bows to Uncle. "Welcome to our lodgings, Master Iroh," she says. "Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

"I would be delighted, my dear, thank you," Uncle replies with a wide grin.

He settles easily at their breakfast table as though he's been there forever, and Zuko has to tamp down on the ecstatic grin that wants to take up permanent residence on his face. Sokka figures out that Uncle is in fact the famed Dragon of the West, and nearly forgets to eat as he quizzes Uncle on his tactics during the Siege of Ba Sing Se. Toph demands that Uncle make tea, citing boredom with Zuko's meager skills, and Uncle laughingly obliges. He and Katara get into an extended philosophical debate over the similarities and differences in the water and fire styles of bending. Aang asks about what Zuko was like as a little kid, and Uncle happily waxes rhapsodic about baby Zuko's love of turtleducks and sharp pointy objects and his adorably irritating habit of escaping from his crib as soon as he was physically able to do so.

"So, basically Zuko as he is today, just tinier," Sokka quips with a smirk.

_**You're just jealous that I was a tiny badass,**_ Zuko replies, flicking the signs out carelessly, but he can't keep his grin contained, and Sokka snickers at him. Zuko can't even find it in him to be irritated, he's so happy that Uncle likes everyone and everyone likes Uncle.

It's not until after Uncle leaves to go back to his shop that everyone demands to know what had happened last night. Zuko explains that Jet had attacked Uncle and had subsequently been carted away by the Dai Li, exactly the situation he'd been waiting for to track down the Dai Li's headquarters, but he hadn't been able to take advantage of it, and now he's back to square one.

"Maybe, but we've got a possible way to see the Earth King," Katara says, brandishing the morning newspaper. The headline reads, _HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY TO HOST BANQUET FOR ROYAL PET BEAR'S BIRTHDAY TONIGHT––INVITATION ONLY._

Zuko cocks his eyebrow at her, and she smirks in return.

"We're going to a party!"

**Author's Note:**

> Next Time: **Manipulation**


End file.
